UK Space Agency

£2.5 million boost for UK space technology industry

Twenty-two innovative British companies are to share £2.5 million of government support for the design and development cutting-edge space products and technologies.

The “Galactic Haze” as measured by Planck, seen as a glow near the Galactic Centre. The dark band across the middle is where strong emission from the rest of the Galaxy has been blanked out. The origin of the Haze is not yet known, though there are a number of possibilities. Image credit: ESA/Planck collaboration.

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Planck unveils Galactic surprises

The European Space Agency’s Planck mission has unveiled more surprises about our own Galaxy, bringing scientists closer to being able to understand the structure of the Universe.

Artist's rendition of SSTL's TechDemoSat-1. Credit: SSTL.

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Funding Available for Future Technology Research

The UK Space Agency has opened the competition for future space research and development as part of the National Space Technology Programme (NSTP).

Support for British companies.
Unknown clouds of cold gas, and a mysterious haze of microwave emission.
£0.5m competition for future space research and development.

Winning picture of the Galileo drawing competition by Patrick Galvin

'Patrick' to go up in space

‘Patrick’ to go up in space - UK Galileo Satellite named

Patrick Galvin (aged 10) will have the UK Galileo satellite named after him. The award ceremony announcing Patrick as the winner of the Europe-wide drawing competition was held on 17 February at the European Commission in London.

Looking forward to the UK Space Conference 2013

Following the success of the 2011 conference, the UK Space Agency is pleased to announce a second UK Space Conference to be held during the summer of 2013.

The conference format provides a forum for discussion between government, industry and academia.

Arctic Ocean mean sea-surface with respect to the geoid for the past 15 years of satellite radar altimetry data. The Beaufort Gyre is the yellow/orange dome in the Western Arctic. Credits: CPOM/UCL/ESA/Planetary Visions.

European Satellites detect abundance of fresh water in the Arctic

European satellites show that a large dome of fresh water has been building up in the Arctic Ocean over the last 15 years.

Researchers from the Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling (CPOM) at University College London, and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), made their discovery using ESA’s ERS-2 and Envisat satellites.

The UK Space Agency

The UK Space Agency is at the heart of UK efforts to explore and benefit from space. It provides funding for a range of programmes via programmes such as the National Space Technology Programme and FP7 and works closely with national and international academic, education and community partners.

I work in space

I am a Public Communications Officer at Reaction Engines.

Outer Space Act Licensing

Apply for a licence under the Outer Space Act (OSA).

The OSA 1986 is the legal basis for the regulation of activities in outer space carried out by organisations or individuals established in the UK or one of its Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies.